CQQ #38: Why God Says No...?

Is "no" always a wrong answer?

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[WARNING: Before jumping to any conclusions, please read this entire blog entry for proper context.]

This blog entry is a continuation of a series of entries on the topic of prayer. If you haven't already, be sure to also check out last week's entry, "Prayer as a Convenience...?", and the week before, "Prayer as a Cop-Out...?".

Having said all that was said in the past two weeks, do I believe in the power of prayer? Absolutely! Do I believe that God will say yes to every prayer of petition? Not necessarily.

But if we're always told to send our prayers and petitions to God, why would God choose to say no to some of our prayers?

CQQ #37: Prayer as a Convenience...?

"Hey, can you get me a cheeseburger? I'll love you for a day."

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[WARNING: Before jumping to any conclusions, please read this entire blog entry for proper context.]

This blog entry is a follow-up to last week's entry, "Prayer as a Cop-Out...?".

While many people may be quick to pray and not get involved (when in their power to do so), the opposite extreme is also common: people not praying enough. Or, specifically, treating God as a "friend of convenience", a person who's only treated as a "friend" when someone wants something from them.

And I think many of us have been guilty of this before.

CQQ #36: Prayer as a Cop-Out...?

"Heavenly Father, I pray a cheeseburger falls into that homeless person's lap."

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[WARNING: Before jumping to any conclusions, please read this entire blog entry for proper context.]

A cop-out is an instance of avoiding a responsibility or commitment, typically with some poor excuse behind it.

For instance, you could say that Jonah "copped out" when he tried to flee to Tarshish to avoid his God-given task of delivering a prophetic warning to the city of Nineveh.

A number of people might treat prayer the same way. Many are quick to pray for others in need, yet so very few seem to actually care to get involved when it is in their power to do so. For instance, giving to the poor, donating to services, lending an ear to those having a bad day, or providing help of whatever kind to whoever is in need.

And I think we've all been guilty of this before.

CQQ #35: Women in the Bible...?

A shout-out to the ladies of faith!

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As of this blog post, today is International Women's Day, which celebrates the achievements of women and standing up for gender equality.

Learning this, I began to think about the achievements of women in the bible, something that I don't see talked about very often. We always talk about the men of faith. But what about the women of faith?

CQQ #34: Why Do We Suffer...?

Why do we have so much pain and suffering?

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Thank you, Farathriel, for suggesting this topic!

Long ago, the first humans (Adam and Eve) were created with the gift of freewill, the ability to make their own choices, for God did not want puppets (else their choices wouldn't be genuine). Those first humans had it all—a beautiful, peaceful paradise in the Garden of Eden. They could eat from any tree they wanted, all except one: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They were told that if they ate from that one tree, they would surely die. Yet, despite knowing this, Eve chose to believe the lies of the serpent (Satan) and doubt God's instruction, and she shared that tree's fruit with Adam, who could have stopped her but also chose to disobey.

CQQ #33: Church Denominations...?

Can church denominations bring glory to God?

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Thank you, Rob Moore, for suggesting this topic!

Supposedly the church is described as being one body and encouraged to glorify God in harmony and "with one voice" (Romans 15:5-6).

So why are there so many church denominations?

CQQ #32: Judging Others...?

OBJECTION! Your metaphorical gavel is unreasonably large.

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Thank you, HonnieBunnie007, for suggesting this topic!

When it comes to the topic of judging others, I often see two extremes: the side that says we shouldn't judge ever, and the side that's super quick to slam the gavel over a person's every move (with nearly every verdict being guilty).

Is there a right way to judge?

CQQ #31: Is Divorce Really Taboo...?

Is a broken marriage still a marriage?

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Incoming controversial topic. Tread carefully.

Some Christians feel trapped in unhappy marriages due to the stigma behind divorce. And when some churches turn a blind eye to serious marital problems—some leaning so strictly on the "divorce is never allowed because God hates divorce" side of the fence)—this can be understandably frustrating especially for those married to an abusive spouse.

But is all divorce really so taboo as those churches often treat it?

CQQ #30: Introverts in the Church...?

Feeling out-of-place in church?

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As a fellow introvert, I can understand the struggles of those trying to deal with a society that highly favors an extroverted mindset. Doubly challenging for the introverted Christ-follower, who's often told how to function in the church in a way that may go against their natural "programming"; they can be pressured to involve themselves in mission trips, tons of socializing, public speaking, large crowds, keeping up with many relationships, face-to-face sharing of the gospel, working directly with other people...

And yet, the way churches often function in today's world makes it seem like introverts are less important or not as useful. Such treatment can even cause them to experience false guilt or feel out-of-place in the church, unable to live up to such social standards.

Can a person be both an introvert and serve Christ to the fullest?

CQQ #29: Taming Toxic Thoughts...?

Do you struggle to tame the flood in your mind?

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Thank you, Michelle Fruth, for inspiring this topic!

As someone who is all too familiar with intrusive thoughts (and had also written a poem/song long ago describing such a struggle, which you can also check out here), I can relate. The battle of the mind can indeed be just as (if not greater) than a number of hurdles we may face outside of our heads. Mental/emotional wellness is especially vital, yet often misunderstood or not taken as seriously as it should be, especially when compared to physical issues.

So how can we tame those unwanted thoughts?

CQQ #28: New Year's Resolutions...?

A push in the right direction or a waste of time and energy?

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Happy New Year!

For those who don't know (or live someplace where this doesn't exist), New Year's resolutions is the common practice of setting any number of goals expected to be met throughout the brand new year. (It's basically an annual to-do list.) Some say they're beneficial while others say they do more harm than good.

Perhaps it's the pressure of commitment or the high expectations given to oneself that discourages some from making such plans. Or perhaps it's that reminder to push oneself toward positive changes that encourages others to stick to their plans.

Which side of the fence are you on?